


Like Broken Wands

by SassyCat (sassy_cat)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Reality, Angst, Gen, M/M, Minor Character Death, Ratings: PG
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-25
Updated: 2012-05-25
Packaged: 2017-11-07 18:46:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/434224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sassy_cat/pseuds/SassyCat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world where the Dark Lord has steadily gained control, the few remaining members of the Order of the Phoenix make hard decisions on how best to survive and perhaps take back their world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like Broken Wands

**Title:** Like Broken Wands  
 **Author:** [](http://d-andru.livejournal.com/profile)[**d_andru**](http://d-andru.livejournal.com/)  
 **Rating:** PG  
 **Word count:** ~2,000  
 **Content/Warning(s):** (highlight for spoilers) * Angst, future AU, implied character death (not Harry or Severus)*  
 **Prompt:** Wildcard #1  
 **Summary:** In a world where the Dark Lord has steadily gained control, the few remaining members of the Order of the Phoenix make hard decisions on how best to survive and perhaps take back their world.  
 **A/N:** A huge thank you to my betas [](http://blinded-hp.livejournal.com/profile)[**blinded_hp**](http://blinded-hp.livejournal.com/) and [](http://carolinelamb.livejournal.com/profile)[**carolinelamb**](http://carolinelamb.livejournal.com/)! I owe them much chocolate and gratitude. Any remaining errors are my own.

 

  


**Like Broken Wands**  


Snape broke through the barrier at the entrance of the Astronomy Tower just as Draco cast the Killing Curse. The Body-Bind Spell had ended with Dumbledore's death, but Harry simply looked on, immobilized by his fear.

Covered in the blood of an unknown student, Greyback turned on Draco his pointed teeth glinting in the near darkness. "Remember how you didn't know I was coming tonight?"

Harry saw Draco tense and grip his wand, obviously unsure of what to do. Greyback pushed away from the ramparts as he continued, "We didn't want to ruin the surprise. The Dark Lord has given you to me, young Malfoy, and I look forward to tasting your beautiful, _pure_ blood."

Apparently aware of their Master's plan, the Carrows cornered Draco with wands drawn and expressions full of glee. Amycus Carrow taunted him, "The Dark Lord will be surprised yeh managed to finish that. Thought Dumby would cut yer down, we did. Yeh lost me ten Galleons."

Alecto sneered at Draco's apparent fear and said to her brother, "Somebody did his daddy proud. I think I want to be the one to tell Lucius an' then you can tell him how his heir became a tasty snack."

Amycus giggled at his sister's idea and coaxed Greyback, "What are yeh waiting for? Snape won't interfere with the Dark Lord's plan. We're missin' the fight."

Harry watched stunned as Snape moved with the efficiency of a practiced killer. He quickly bound Greyback with a casually hissed, " _Incarcerous_." Pivoting quickly, he cast " _Sectumsempra_." The curse hit Amycus' torso, and he was dead before his body touched the ground.

In a blind rage, Alecto pointed her wand at Snape. As Snape rolled to avoid her Killing Curse, it rebounded on the mirror of a large telescope and hit Draco squarely in the chest. He collapsed without a sound, but Alecto barely had time to notice.

Greyback, who had broken free from his ropes, grabbed Alecto and fled the tower, leaving behind the bodies of Draco and Amycus. As Greyback ran down the stairs, he howled promises of the Dark Lord's anger and of a painful death for Snape's betrayal.

Snape ignored the warnings that rang through the night air and sank to his knees beside Draco's body. Harry didn't know what to think when he heard Snape's voice catch as he said, "Albus, our plan has failed. Draco's gone. My position with the Dark Lord is lost. I don't know what to do."

Harry took a chance and removed his cloak. "Professor Snape, we need to leave. Draco…"

Snape looked up with angry eyes and scowled. "I know, Potter. I know what happened!"

He stood and seemed to shake off all his concerns. With renewed resolve, he took Harry by the arm and said, "Come with me, you miscreant. I have to get you to safety."

As they rushed through the fighting, Snape cast curses, jinxes and spells that Harry had never heard of before. As they reached the gates, Harry recognized Bill's bloodied form lying on the ground. Breaking Snape's hold, he rushed to his side, grateful to see he was still alive.

"Leave him, Potter. His family will take care of him," Snape said impatiently as he looked back toward the castle.

"No! I won't go without him. What if they all die? I can't leave him here. The Weasleys are my family!" Harry held tightly onto the unconscious Bill, determined to have his way.

Snape's nostrils flared as he strode toward them, and Harry could tell he wanted to object. "You're an idiot, but I don't have time to argue. We'll take him, but if the Apparition kills him, his death won't be on my conscience."

* * * * *

  


A loud, crunching noise drew Harry back to the present. Terry Boot sat across from him, grinding some kind of nuts into a plank with a hunting knife. Harry flinched as Severus snapped, "Stop making so much noise, Boot. You'll get us all killed."

Harry looked around their makeshift camp, searching out Severus' form in the shadows before he turned his attention back up at the starry sky. Draco and Andromeda were still shining brightly up above, but the people he knew by those names were long dead.

Harry's heart twisted as he thought of how almost everyone was gone. The war had dragged on for too long, and even now, in his twenty-third year, a madman was hunting him.

They'd been traveling inside Galloway Forest Park for nearly a week, and Harry was beginning to worry that his sanity was slipping. Every time they moved camp, it seemed that the Death Eaters came closer to finding them.

If he didn't know better, he'd believe the Death Eaters tracking them were toying with them until the game became too boring. The truth was that Voldemort's henchmen wouldn't waste a moment. If the Death Eaters could find them, there would be no games.

The goal was to reach Loch Ryan, then to take the Cairnryan - Larne ferry from there to Northern Ireland. There were rumours of a resistance growing in Belfast as well as rumours that Voldemort's Magic Restriction Spell didn't extend across the Channel.

At this point, the possibility that the rumours could be true was their only remaining hope. If they were lucky they'd make it to the Loch in a day or so, and if they made it across, they might once again feel their magic.

The night fell quiet… too quiet. Each of them huddled closer together, sensing that something was very wrong. Suddenly, the night air filled with Thorfinn Rowle's gravelly voice, "Give us Potter, and the rest of you won't have to die."

Harry scoffed at their options. Die? Perhaps not, but they were all aware of the work camps that awaited any who were unfortunate enough to be captured, and no one was fool enough to believe that Severus wouldn't be publicly tortured just as surely as Harry would be if either surrendered.

This weary band of wizards was all that remained of a once powerful rebellion. One by one, the Death Eaters had picked off the Order survivors, murdered or broken all until only the lucky and the wily remained.

Glancing around their simple shelter, Harry wondered just how much any of them were still alive. He whispered, "I should just surrender. The rest of you would have a chance to escape while they're having their fun."

Severus shifted toward him, gripping his thigh as he angrily muttered, "Not that again. No, it would be a waste. If you die, then we all die with you."

Bill edged closer and nudged Severus' arm and mumbled, "I don't see any way out for us this time. If we all run, they will catch us. Harry's plan has merit."

"I know that," Severus snapped back. "I don't have to like it."

Dean spoke for the first time, his voice deeper and more resolved than Harry had ever heard. "I don't like this either, but we agreed months ago. When the time came, we would each be willing to do it."

Confused, Harry asked, "Do what? Why don't I know about this?"

"What needs to be done to protect the rest." Dean shot him a guilt-ridden look.

Harry sat there mulling over the words, searching for the answer until the coin dropped. "No! No, you can't!"

Snape laid his hand on Harry's shoulder, forcing him to remain sitting as he growled, "Shut up, Potter! Keep your voice down! We all took the Order's oath. If necessary, every single one of us will die for you whether you like it or not." Reaching up to brush Harry's cheek, he added, "You are our only hope of getting our world back. You will and must be protected at all costs."

Harry felt ill, disgusted. "Merlin, this is so wrong. How do you know that my death isn't what saves everyone? _Neither can live while the other survives_ … remember?"

The others silently continued with the execution of their plan, ignoring Harry's quiet pleas. Dean gathered four twigs of different lengths and dropped them into a bag as he said, "The shortest twig goes. The rest run."

Bill, Terry and Severus all whispered, "Agreed."

Harry choked out, "Severus, you too?" Realising what he'd implied, he flushed with shame. He loved them all, but Severus--

Severus reached out gently to squeeze Harry's hand and answered softly in a tone, that would brook no argument. "My life is no more valuable than their lives. If it's my time, you will find someone else. You _will_ be all right. Promise me, Harry. Promise that you'll survive and that you will defeat this monstrosity."

Harry swallowed around the lump in his throat. "I – I'll survive but I won't ever love anyone again."

Terry spoke up, "Maybe you shouldn't do it, Severus. Harry needs you. This is supposed to help Harry, to give him an advantage. Losing you… I don't know."

Severus shook his head, no longer able to meet Harry's gaze. "No. We agreed that when the time came, we would all be equal soldiers. I take my chances with the rest."

Harry couldn't watch as they each reached into the bag, pulling out a twig. Severus went last.

Finally, they held their twigs up and out, pushing them together to see who had drawn the shortest twig. A sigh of resolution from Bill told Harry who was going to take the fall for the rest tonight.

Bill reached into his jacket and pulled out a phial Harry recognised as Polyjuice Potion. Suddenly, he knew precisely what their plan entailed. "No," he said. "This is so much worse! You don't have to do this, Bill."

Distracted by his shock and the sad expression on Bill's face, he didn't see Severus reach over. When he pulled out some of his hair, Harry punched Severus, tried to grab the hair and tried to keep Severus from passing it to Bill.

Bill reached for the loose strands as he popped off the cork with his thumb and dropped Harry's hair down into the potion, swallowing it quickly. Harry's heart stopped as he watched the last living Weasley slowly morph into his image. The Polyjuice Potion had been to disguise him on the ferry… not for this.

Harry's eyes stung and he fought back tears as he heard his own voice from Bill's altered body say, "I don't intend to die for nothing, so be ready to run. Reach the Irish border, where you can use magic again. Beat them!"

Terry and Dean were already standing, ready to sprint away into the darkness. With one last glance at Severus, Bill whispered, "Take care of him, Severus," before he took off at a run toward the voice still demanding Harry's surrender.

Severus grabbed Harry by the arm, pulling him to his feet and taking his hand into his own. He looked ahead but spoke to them all. "On the count of three, we run. We run until we can't."

Harry heard Terry and Dean's muffled answers, everything seeming as if it was happening to someone else through some kind of filter. Then he felt the tug of Severus' arm pulling his own, and he began to run. He could hear Bill's screams fading into the night as they pushed onward toward the North Channel.

Harry knew it was Severus' determination that kept him upright and moving. The cold night air stung his face where tear tracks ran down along his cheeks, his side ached but his chest felt empty.

As long as he lived, he'd never forget the sound of Bill's screams or forgive himself for letting another person he loved die for him. Stumbling in the dark, Harry held on tightly to Severus' hand.

If they were lucky, tomorrow they could reach the ferry, four survivors instead of five, searching for magic and hope.

He barely remembered what it felt like to be a wizard, to feel the flow of magic coursing through his skin. They were like broken wands, once something grand, but now, nothing more than a shell of what they once were, falling short of all they could be.  


-The End-

  


  



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